


The Three of Them

by chipchirgan



Category: Ripper Street
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-24
Updated: 2013-03-24
Packaged: 2017-12-06 08:07:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/733425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chipchirgan/pseuds/chipchirgan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What Drake and Jackson think of Reid and what Reid thinks of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Three of Them

**Author's Note:**

> I am guilty of the sin of pride, having started writing in English which is not my native language. I am terribly sorry for the swarms of mistakes, especially with punctuation. Just couldn't stop myself D:
> 
> Character study of a kind. I was grievous after the sixth episode and needed something soft and kind, so this... thing is rather fluffy.

When Drake hears someone say «the golden mean» he inevitably thinks of Inspector Reid. He has never met a man so far from any extreme, though it is not so evident at first. Inspector Reid does not cover his nose and mouth with a handkerchief, does not look at the infected men and women with horror; but there is no indifference in his gaze. He would not beat a woman being interrogated; he would not talk amiably to a rough homeless, would not try to coax him into giving away the necessary information. Drake thinks that it is so because of the sensible, conscious attitude to life which is quite outstanding. Inspector Reid always knows what will undoubtedly work, what can be given a try, what will never be done. Drake does not know whether it is an innate flair or an acquirement.

Inspector Reid stands his ground firmly and knows perfectly well what he is and what he can do. He never ingratiates himself with superiors, nor despises inferiors if they have not deserved such treatment. Drake thinks that Inspector Reid will never lose the strength that keeps him going. If there is nothing left for him besides his work he will live on his sense of duty; if he is unable to work his enormous inner reserves will be activated. Drake flatters himself with the hope that his help is one of the brooks nourishing those reserves. He does not think about it on purpose, of course not, but he enjoys doing his job properly and fulfilling the Inspector's rare personal requests. He enjoys it because it is right, it is for the good of the city and its people, and it is the will of Inspector Reid.

~ ~ ~

Jackson finds Reid curious in every way possible. It is curious how he looks at progressive devices – he is like a child with an exotic candy he cannot wait to taste. It is curious how he is ready to run towards any possibility to solve a criminal riddle, however insignificant the chance may be, – he is like a dog that has smelled a faint hint of prey and cannot wait to chase it and catch it. His overwhelming sense of honour and what is right and what is wrong is curious, his readiness to sacrifice anything for high aim's sake is no less curious.

Not that Jackson has never seen such men; he has seen plenty. But he cannot remember just one of them who did not seem ridiculous and even contemptible to him. Reid does not in the least. There is something in him that softens his fervour; maybe it is the quantity of cases won by Reid. Maybe it is just that Jackson likes Reid, whatever the reason is.

He just likes him. He tends to leave his mocking manner when it comes to assist the Inspector. He does not leave it though, but he tends to, and it is a very strange, long forgotten feeling. It is like he does not need to hide from Reid, or defy him, or challenge him, or distrust him, or _be afraid of him_. It is like Reid is sure that Captain Homer Jackson is worth trusting, that he is reliable, even if Reid has to yell at him to get what he wants, and that Jackson can eventually become an honourable man – just like Reid himself. And if there is another man beneath the same appearance – well, Reid does not know that man and will deal with him when he appears and treat him according to what he is. For now there is only Captain Homer Jackson, a talented surgeon, a clever and experienced man, a seasoned fighter, and that is enough for Reid. That is more than enough for Jackson.

When Jackson is in a poetic mood he likes to compare Reid to a bow in an arsher's hand, and the archer is the law. As long as the archer is concentrated, the firing goes smoothly – notch, draw, loose, notch, draw, loose; but as soon as he gets distracted by his own servants – a corrupt judge, a statesman spinning a web of lie, a policeman who puts his interests before those of the society he serves – the bow starts quivering. Jackson does not care about the archer, they have shared enough quarrels for the Captain to stay away from both eagerly helping and openly opposing the archer. But Jackson cares about the bow. He does not completely understand why, for the day may come when an arrow is pointed at him. But Jackson is notorious for being a carefree lad. He will think of it when the day comes.

And up until then he will try to steady the bow when the hand holding it is trembling. It may seem that he is making everything even more complicated for Reid, causes him nothing but new difficulties, but Jackson knows he is helping and – most importantly – Reid does know that either.

~ ~ ~

Reid seldom thinks that life is too tough on him. He does not have time to waste on idle reflection; neither does he want to dig into his soul, for the work is rather dirty. He sometimes thinks that people could be a little less stubborn and spoiled and make less obstacles on his way to the truth. But these thoughts come to him when he is much more tired than he usually is, and this does not happen frequently. Besides, there are good things, if you care to look for them; they are not as many as Reid would like them to be, but they exist and he has to put up with what he has. He deeply regrets that he is not likely to live long enough to see further development and adaptation of technology and does his best to use every bit of it available to him at the moment. His men struggle but he is not so easy to be beaten.

Nevertheless, Reid likes his men. He likes executive, shy Hobbs and grumpy Artherton. He appreciates all his constables and sergeants; they may be clumsy and slow-witted sometimes but generally they do what they must well. And Reid thinks he himself must be grateful to God or whatever there is in his stead for Drake and Jackson.

Drake is the sort of men Reid has always pitied the most. Drake is dutiful, obeying, and strong, and harshly beaten by life. From time to time Reid gets caught with fear that the pressure he puts upon Drake is too heavy; he feels ill at ease when he forces Drake to do something the man does not quite approve. There is not much confidence and distinctness in Reid's life these days but he knows full well he can rely on Drake, and it draws Reid to him. Sometimes he lets his affection be seen and feels Drake's warm response; sometimes he cannot do it rightly and estrangement and resentment fall between them. But the truth is that Reid is terribly afraid of losing Drake, both as a soldier of his army and as a friend.

It may seem that Jackson is utterly different. Reid hates the way Jackson wastes his abilities, his skills, misuses his quick mind. Reid dislikes the way he himself feels responsible for Jackson's whoring, drinking and messing around, as if he was to look after the man and failed. Reid desperately needs such men by his side – open-minded, witty, clear-sighted, – but sometimes he wants to beat Jackson bloody for his petulance and obstinacy. However, all Reid's exasperation evaporates as soon as Jackson condescends to doing what is asked. Reid knows that if Jackson starts doing something he will leave it only when it is complete. In the end he turns out to be as dependable as Drake.

And despite all their imperfections, they are good men with kind hearts.

Despite all their flaws, Reid does not think he will ever be able to dismiss them.


End file.
